poetry by j matthew waters

another extravagant night

it was a black and white murder
in low to moderate neighborhood
vehicles lining both sides of streets
stray cats smoking jays in alleyways
informants seemed to lurk everywhere
but none of them were talking
having taking cover in pawnshops
and city parks and nearby boxing club
local police tape off the area by spotlight
interviewing scores of witnesses
waiting for pink panther to arrive
firetrucks and ambulances come and go
leaving behind two chalk outlines
so it seems nobody saw a goddamn thing
and one by one household lights turn off
come daybreak paperboy arrives
followed by little ones skipping down steps
hauling backpacks and walking with best friends
waving at local policemen and wondering
who it was that got popped last night

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9 thoughts on “another extravagant night”

Life, I guess, moves on, and fear – along with a large slice of ‘there but for the grace of god…’ – seems a powerful force to keep us behind our curtains. A strong poem and a sad reflection of the times in which we live.

I love how you use “street” jargon here to fit within the gritty urban atmosphere. In each of your poems you metamorph yourself to become the character or narrator in a particular situation. Amazing! 😊